There are countless electrical assemblies, many of which have terminals of some sort specifically designed for their intended purpose. There is, however, the problem of providing an assembly which may permit rework and which will accept and connect various terminals which may be connected to a printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,980 to Alkire et al, issued Nov. 2, 1971 discloses a printed circuit board clip connector that will accept contact pins of varying heights. This patent proposes that it will accept contact pins that are not perpendicular to the printed circuit board to which it is attached. However, in an electrical assembly with multiple pins mounted to a rigid heat sink at different angles, it would be a very difficult assembly process, as in this patent electrical continuity must rely on a spring contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,128 to Zurlinden et al, issued Dec. 20, 1983 illustrates a push on terminal clip, but with multiple pins which may not be perpendicular to a printed circuit board, soldering would prove to be a difficult process which could result in internal damage to a connected device.
Flexible Circuit connectors are not P.C.B. (printed circuit board) mounted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,561 to George, issued Feb. 3, 1987 which also uses an electrical connection which is a spring contact.
Other patents in the art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,052,004 to Wallshein, issued Sep. 4, 1962 which shows clamps for attachment to a wire; U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,050, to Hindenburg issued Sep. 8, 1970, illustrating a push-on grounding clip; U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,513 to Gross, issued Jul. 10, 1973 showing a strain relieving connector; U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,231 to Bray, issued Aug. 12, 1975 showing an electrical connector for printed electrical circuit panels. A connector between a mother and daughter board is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,918, to Friend, issued Dec. 9, 1975. Other printed circuit board connectors have three legs, as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,430 to Clark. Ribbon connectors for distributing power are shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,592, to Himes, Jr. et al, issued Jul. 4, 1989, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,903 to Bonhomme, issued Jun. 12, 1990 illustrates a kind of deformable contact element.
However, in a multipin environment none of the foregoing terminals or their assemblies accommodates pins which may vary in direction and orientation during the process of manufacturing or thereafter. Such accommodation is needed.